Ignition contact set



IGNITION CONTACT SET Filed Dec. 30, 1958 FIG.3.

FIG.6 l6 2 I 3 E1 1 fl r- I 44 V 14111] LA iINVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,033,947 IGNITION CONTACT SET Kaliu S. Johnson, Northville, Mich., assignor to Holley Carburetor Company, Van Dyke, Mic-in, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 783,983 9 Claims. 7 (Cl. 200-30) The present invention relates to an ignition contact set. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ignition contact'set having a rigid contact bracket of novel design formed from a single piece of metal and including as an integral portion thereof a pivot post.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ignition contact set including a bracket having a post thereon, a breaker arm pivoted to said post, and means disposed between said breaker arm and pivot post effective to eliminate clearance therebetween.

More specifically, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a torsion bushing between a breaker arm and pivot post to provide means permitting swinging movement of the breaker arm and also to exert a dampening effect which inhibits contact bounce. It is a further object of the present invention, in an ignition contact set, to provide a bracket including an integral extruded locating pin thereon separate from the pivot post.

More specifically, it is a feature of the present invention to provide an ignition contact set bracket having a portion thereof struck out and bent to form a pivot post of non-circular cross-section, and an additional portion thereof extruded out of the plane of the bracket to provide a locating pin. 7

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the ignition contact set.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the set with parts in section.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3, FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the contact bracket.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the contact bracket.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view on the line 66, FIG- URE 5.

The contact set shown in assembly in FIGURE 2 comprises a contact bracket 10 having a pivot post 12, a contact post 14, and a mounting post 16. Connected to the pivot post for rocking movement about its longitudinal axis is abreaker arm assembly indicated generally at 18. Connected to the breaker arm assembly for biasing it in circuit closing relation is a leaf spring 20. The leaf spring '20 may constitute a current carrying element or if desired there may be an additional current carrying strip 22 connected, as will subsequently be described. The leaf spring 20 and the current carrying strip 22 (if employed) are connected to the mounting post 16 by a bolt 24, nut 26, conducting washers 28 and 30. The post 16 is insulated from the spring 20 and strip 22 by a sheet 32 of insulating material doubled over the post. It of course will be understood that the opening through the post 16 through which the bolt 24 passes is large enough so that the bolt does not contact the sides of the post.

In accordance with the present invention, and as best illustrated in FIGURES 4-6, the contact bracket comprises a ilat base portion 34 having an elongated portion struck out to provide an elongated opening 36, the struck .out portion being bent to extend upwardly as shown in FIGURE 4 to form the pivot postx12. The pivot post, as best'seen in FIGURE 5, is of rectangular cross-section.

Inasmuch as the opening 36 from which the pivot post is struck out tends to reduce rigidity of the contact bracket, an edge portion thereof is bent upwardly to form a stifiening rib or flange 38. An intermediate portion of the flange extends further upwardly to provide the mounting bracket 16 previously referred to.

As best seen in FIGURE 4 the post 16 has an enlarged square opening 40. At the opposite edge of the base portion 34 of the bracket there is an upwardly bent portinon providing the contact post 114. In order to reinforce the contact post 14 the portion of the bracket at the junction between the lower end of the contact post 14 and the base portion 34 of the bracket is indented inwardly as indicated at 42.

In the base portion 34 of the bracket and closely adjacent to the pivot post 12, a portion of the bracket is extruded downwardly to provide a locating pin or button 44 adapted to be received in a recess 46' in a plate 48 on which the ignition contact set is mounted.

In order to provide a suitable support for the breaker arm 13 which permits its swinging movement about the vertical axis of the pivot post 12, a torsion bushing 50 is provided. The bushing 50 has a central opening shaped to receive the pivot post 12 and has its external surface of generally cylindrical configuration. The bushing is formed of a readily yieldable material such for example as rubber. The breaker arm 18 terminates at one end in relatively large apertured ears 52 separated by a spacer sleeve 54 surrounding the rubber bushing 50. The assembly may be completed by a pair of flanged tubular memhers 56 pressed into the sleeve and having flange portions 58 overlying the ears 52 of the breaker arm.

Intermediate its ends the breaker arm has a rubbing block 60 formed of a hard molded fiber material riveted as indicated at 62 to the intermediate portion of the breaker arm. One end 64 of the spring 20 extends around the sleeve 56 and engages a side of the breaker arm as best illustrated in FIGURE 1. The breaker arm is formed of very light gauge metal and includes a doubled stiffening rib 66 extending longitudinally thereof. At its free end the breaker arm has a contact or breaker point 68 attached thereto movable in and out of contact with a similar contact or breaker point 70 mounted on the contact post 14.

It will be observed that the use of the torsion bushing formed of rubber or equivalent material provides an adequate mounting for the breaker arm without the necessity of providing cylindrical bearing portions. Not only does it eliminate the necessity of bearings, but the torsion bushing serves an important additional function in providing a dampening eifect which substantially: reduces any tendency for contact bounce. 1

In accordance with the present invention the single contact bracket is shaped to have integrally formed there- 'from the pivot post as well as the locating pin or contact brackets, and in fact the present contact bracket is stiffer and more rugged than prior contact brackets due to the provision of the bent up reinforcing rib or flange 38.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved ignition contact set in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket having an elongated sheet metal member having a flat base and an elongated pivot post struck out from said base and extending transversely from said base leaving an elongated opening in said base, said pivot post being of non-circular' cross section, a non rotatable' torsionbushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, and a breaker arm connected to theouter surface of said torsion bushing and swin'gable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

2. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket having an integrallyformed pivot post thereon, said pivot post being of 'non-circular cross section, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable'material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as; said pivot post so as to tightlyengage the periphery of saidjpost, and abreaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing and swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

'3. An ignition contactset comprising a bracket having an integrally formed pivot post thereon, said pivot post being of non-circular cross section, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, a breaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, and a spring connected to said arm, said arm being swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

4. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket having an integrally formed pivot post thereon, said pivot post being-of non-circular cross section, a fixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially thesame cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, a breaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, and a contact on the other end of said arm movable into andout of engagement with said fixed contact, said arm being swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

5. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket having an integrally formed pivot post thereon, said pivot post being of non-circular cross section, aifixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening ytherethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, 'a breaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, a contact on the other end of said arm movable into and out of engagement with said fixed contact, and a leaf spring connected between said arm and bracket and effective to bias said arm in a direction to close said contacts, said armbeing swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

'6. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket comprising an elongated sheet metal member having a flat base, an elongated pivot post struck out from said base and extending transversely from said base leaving an elongated opening in said base, said pivot post being of non-circular cross section, an elongated stiffening and reinforcing flange bent up at one edge of said base opposite the opening, a fixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, a breaker effective to bias said arm in a direction to close said arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, a contact on the other end of said arm movable into and out of engagement with said fixed contact, and a leaf spring connected between said arm and bracket and effective totbias said arm in a direction to close said contacts, said arm being swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

7. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket comprising an elongated sheet metal member having a flat base, an elongated pivot poststruck out from said base and extending transversely-from said base =leaving an elongated opening in said base, said pivot post being .of non-circular cross section, an elongated stiffening and reinforcing fiange bent up at one edge of said base opposite the opening, a fixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable matenial mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, a breaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, a contact on the other end of said arm movable into and out of engagement with said fixed contact, and a leaf spring connected between said arm and bracket and effective to bias said arm ina direction to close said contacts, said arm being swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing, said base having as an integral part thereof a downwardly extruded locating button which projects below the lower surface of said base.

8. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket comprising an elongated sheet metal member having a fiat base,i an elongated pivot post struck out from said base and extending transversely from said-base leaving an elongated opening in said base, said pivot post being of V non-circular crosssecti0n, an elongated stiffening and reinforcing flange'bent up at one edge of said base opposite the opening, a fixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed of yieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, a breaker arm having one end secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, a laterally extending projection on said breaker arm forming a rubbing block, a contact on the other end of said arm movable intofand out of engagement with said fixed contact, and a leaf spring connected between said arm and bracket and effective to bias said arm in a direction to close said contacts, said arm being swingable about said pivot post upon torsion of said bushing.

9'. An ignition contact set comprising a bracket comprising an elongated sheet metal member having a fiat base, an elongated pivot post struck out from said base and extending transversely from said base leaving an elongated opening in said base, said pivot post being of non-circular cross section, an elongated stiffening and reinforcing flange bent up at one edge of said base opposite the opening, a fixed contact on said bracket spaced from said post, a non-rotatable torsion bushing formed ofyieldable material mounted on said post, said torsion bushing having an opening therethrough which has substantially the same cross section as said pivot post so as to tightly engage the periphery of said post, said bushing having. an outwardly extending flange portion which engages the top surface of said base, a breaker arm having oneend secured to the outer surface of said torsion bushing, a contact on the other end of said arm movable into and out of engagement with said 'fixed contact, and a leaf, spring connected between said arm and bracket and 5 6 contacts, said arm being swingable about said pivot post 2,559,568 Hooven July 3, 1951 upon torsion of said bushing. 2,579,523 Terry Dec. 25, 1951 2,635,150 Spang Apr. 14, 1953 References Cited in Lhe file of this patent 2,713,094 Zocchi July 12, 1955 2,765,377 Buchrnann Oct. 2, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,777,909 Weil Jan. 15, 1957 1, 74,970 en O 2 192 2,835,755 Filko May 20, 1958 2,209,382 Blattner July 30, 19 0 2,854,534 Beauclair Sept. 30, 1958 2,290,073 Th mas Ju y 1942 2,896,035 Harrington et a1 July 21, 1959 2,546,719 Aldridge Mar. 27, 1951 1Q 

